The newly released Bollywood spy-action thriller Dhurandhar has stood out for its realistic and respectful portrayal of the Indian Army, thanks to the meticulous efforts of its military consultant, Colonel Bhupinder Shahi (Retd).
“Everything about the Army was projected correctly and reflected in a proper manner in the film,” Col Shahi said, underlining the emphasis placed on authenticity during the making of Dhurandhar. The film, meaning ‘Stalwart’, portrays a decade-long Indian intelligence operation involving an undercover agent infiltrating Karachi’s criminal and political underworld.
Explaining the importance of military consultants in cinema, Col Shahi noted that the role goes far beyond uniforms and drill. “On set, the military consultant becomes the moral compass and technical expert—training actors in battlecraft, fieldcraft, communication protocols, body language, and guiding filmmakers through military culture, chain of command, unit cohesion, and the psychology of a soldier,” he told The Tribune. His responsibilities also included close coordination with costume designers and art directors to ensure visual accuracy.
Dhurandhar marks Col Shahi’s ninth project as a military consultant. The film was shot extensively in Ladakh, where he served for nearly eight years during his Army career. “It is an authentic film and everything depicted actually happened,” he remarked.
Commissioned into the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 1991, Col Shahi served in operationally intense areas including Kargil, Kashmir, and various counter-insurgency theatres. He also served with elite units such as the National Security Guard and the Ladakh Scouts. After taking premature retirement in 2017, he settled in Mohali and transitioned into consultancy and entrepreneurship.
His cinematic journey began with Shershaah, which set new benchmarks for military accuracy in Indian cinema. While serving in Leh, he was tasked by Maj Gen Y K Joshi to assist the makers of the film based on the life of Captain Vikram Batra, with whom he had served closely during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
Other notable projects associated with Col Shahi include Kill, Veda, Freedom at Midnight, Waking of a Nation, and Fauj. For Dhurandhar, he began work in 2024 after being approached by executive producer Rahul Gandhi. His role included securing permissions from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, and coordinating the use of MI-17 and Cheetah helicopters for filming.
With lived operational experience guiding its narrative, Dhurandhar exemplifies how credible military consultation can elevate cinema, ensuring that stories of national security are told with realism, dignity, and respect for the men and women in uniform.
